Temperature control to prevent skin burn during microwave ablation procedure

Abstract

An energy delivery device is disclosed including a cannula extendable through skin of a patient, an antenna extending from the cannula and operable to deliver energy to tissue of the patient, and a temperature regulator movable along a length of the cannula and operable to control a temperature of the skin as the antenna provides energy to the tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy delivery device, comprising:
 a cannula extendable through skin of a patient;   an antenna extending from the cannula and operable to deliver energy to tissue of the patient; and   a temperature regulator movable along a length of the cannula and operable to control a temperature of the skin as the antenna provides energy to the tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature regulator is movable between:
 a first state in which the temperature regulator contacts a first area of the skin; and   a second state in which the temperature regulator contacts a second area of the skin greater than the first area.   
     
     
         3 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature regulator is comprised of an elastomer. 
     
     
         4 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature regulator comprises a bellows. 
     
     
         5 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a lock to prevent proximal movement of the temperature regulator along the cannula and away from the skin. 
     
     
         6 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature regulator comprises:
 a flexible regulator portion; and   a cone arranged proximal to the flexible regulator portion, wherein the cone is to limit expansion of the flexible regulator portion.   
     
     
         7 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature regulator is to receive coolant fluid from a coolant supply. 
     
     
         8 . The energy delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a stick region intermediate the cannula and the antenna, wherein the stick region and the temperature regulator are to co-operatively control the temperature of the skin based on the antenna providing energy to the tissue. 
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 an energy delivery device, comprising:
 a cannula extendable through skin of a patient; 
 an antenna extending from the cannula and operable to deliver energy to tissue of the patient; 
 a temperature regulator positioned on the cannula and fluidly communicable with a coolant supply; and 
 a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the skin; and 
   a processor and a memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, from the temperature sensor, a measured temperature of the skin; and 
 control, from the coolant supply, a flow of coolant fluid to the temperature regulator based on the measured temperature of the skin. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is to control the flow of coolant fluid to the temperature regulator based on a comparison of the measured temperature of the skin and a threshold temperature stored within the memory. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the energy delivery device further comprises a stick region intermediate the cannula and the antenna, wherein the stick region is fluidly communicable with the coolant supply, and the processor is to control a flow of coolant fluid to the stick region based on the measured temperature of the skin. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the temperature sensor is a first temperature sensor and the energy delivery device further includes a second temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the tissue at the stick region, wherein the processor is to receive, from the second temperature sensor, a measured temperature of the tissue at the stick region, and wherein the processor is to control a flow of coolant fluid to the stick region further based on the measured temperature of the tissue at the stick region. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature regulator is movable between:
 a first state in which the temperature regulator contacts a first area of the skin; and   a second state in which the temperature regulator contacts a second area of the skin greater than the first area.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature regulator is comprised of an elastomer. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature regulator comprises:
 a flexible regulator portion; and   a cone proximal to the flexible regulator portion to limit expansion of the flexible regulator portion.   
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 an energy delivery device, comprising:
 a cannula extendable through skin of a patient; 
 an antenna extending from the cannula to deliver energy to tissue of a patient; 
 a temperature regulator positioned on the cannula and fluidly communicable with a coolant supply; and 
 a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the skin; and 
   a control system in communication with the temperature sensor and including a user interface, a processor, and a memory, the control system being configured to:
 display, on the user interface, the measured temperature of the skin; 
 receive, on the user interface, a user input; and 
 control, from the coolant supply, a flow of coolant fluid to the temperature regulator based on the user input. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the energy delivery device further comprises a stick region intermediate the cannula and the antenna, wherein the stick region is fluidly communicable with the coolant supply, and the control system is to control a flow of coolant fluid to the stick region based on the user input. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature regulator is movable between:
 a first state in which the temperature regulator contacts a first area of the skin; and   a second state in which the temperature regulator contacts a second area of the skin, wherein the second area is greater than the first area.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature regulator is comprised of an elastomer. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature regulator comprises:
 a flexible regulator portion; and   a cone proximal to the flexible regulator portion to limit expansion of the flexible regulator portion.